Behind Our Masks
by Lala2003
Summary: Few love stories are simple, but Adrien thinks his could be - if she'd just take off her mask. When Ladybug reveals that she's prepared to trust him with her true identity, he jumps at the opportunity. There's only one catch: he has to find her himself.


Few love stories are simple, but Adrien thinks his could be - if she'd just take off her mask. When Ladybug reveals that she's prepared to trust him with her true identity, he jumps at the opportunity. There's only one catch: he has to find her himself.

* * *

"Where were you Marinette? I waited for hours and you never showed," Luka asks, his eyes sad, a wilting rose in his hand.

The boat glows idly with the light of a thousand candles, all dancing in time with the wind. It's beautiful, and a part of me senses that this is familiar.

"I'm sorry - I was - helping my parents at the bakery," I defend myself lamely.

It's not true, of course, but I can't tell him the real reason why I stood him up.

"That's funny, because that's what you said the last time," Luka sulks, shoving his hands into his pockets and turning away, "And the time before that."

"Luka, I'm not lying to you - I tried to get here as fast as I could." At least that's not a lie.

"I don't believe you, Marinette. If you're not interested, the decent thing to do is turn me down. Not lead me on. I don't want to waste my time. And I don't want you to lie to me." He's angry now, I can tell. "So just tell me the truth. Do you want this?"

Before I have a chance to reply, a fluttering shape appears over his shoulder, its form darker than the night sky behind it. I freeze, it's an akuma.

"Luka! Behind you!" I yell, darting forward.

He moves away. "Could you really be that low?" he asks. "You're trying to change the topic. I'm not going to fall for--"

It's too late. The butterfly has already touched him, blackness spreading through the dying rose between his fingers. I begin to back away, I need a place to transform, but Luka grabs my wrist, his eyes dark and unseeing.

"Luka, you can't let the akuma control you! You need to fight it!" I scream, trying to pull away from his firm grip.

A dark mass envelops his figure, and when it melts away he's not the Luka I know anymore. A long black coat hangs from his shoulders, covering a white suit. In his hands is the rose, but it's longer now, and made from metal like a spear. He grins, bearing all his teeth, and picks a petal from the end of the weapon.

"I'm not Luka anymore," he growls malevolently, "I am Truthseeker."

He crushes the petal in his palm and blows the fragments towards me.

"What are you doing?" I splutter, the pieces caught in my throat.

"Now, you won't be able to lie to me again," he says coldly. "So I'll ask one more time, do you want this?"

"No," I whisper, my hands flying to my mouth the moment the word escapes my lips.

His expression is unreadable, but his grip on me loosens a little, and I rip my arm away. He doesn't look angry anymore, he looks hurt, and he doesn't notice when a dark figure slips onto the deck behind him.

"Wow, that outfit is the cat's meow," Cat Noir laughs from the shadows.

Luka spins around, and I take the opportunity slip below deck. Slamming the door behind me, I try to calm my breathing. I don't have time to think about what I've done. To think about how I've hurt the one boy who ever loved me.

"Tikki, spots on!" I cry, and a familiar surge of power rushes through my body.

I leave through the window, careful to make it seem as if I have just arrived as I land noiselessly on the wooden deck.

"Evening Bugaboo, nice of you to show up," Cat Noir jokes, dodging a swing aimed at his head.

"Please, I was here before you," I boast, quickly realising this could blow my cover, and berating myself for letting this information slip, "Watch out for his petals," I add quickly, hoping my mistake goes unnoticed, "They'll make you tell the truth."

"You didn't get hit with one, did you, Milady?" Cat Noir asks, but there's something off about his voice.

"Yes," I reply, unable to hide the truth.

"Then if I ask you anything, you'd have to tell me the truth?" He asks, ducking another blow.

"We don't have time for this right now!" I protest, finally managing to catch the end of the spear with my yo-yo.

I pull forward, but there isn't any resistance, and my yo-yo swings back to me empty. Confused, I turn back to where Luka was standing just seconds before.

"Where did he go?" I exclaim, my eyes darting over the vacant deck.

Cat Noir shrugs, seemingly unbothered by the fact he has escaped.

"Since we're not busy fighting the akuma now, maybe you can tell me some truths," he says darkly.

"What are you talking about, Cat Noir?" I ask warily.

"Who are you, Ladybug? Who are you behind that mask?" His voice is cold and level.

"Don't do this, it's too dangerous. Don't make me say it," I plead.

"Who are you?" he presses.

I know I won't be able to stop myself from talking for much longer, I can feel the words burning in the base of my throat.

"Please." It's all I can manage without the truth spilling out.

"Who are you, Ladybug?" It's not Cat Noir this time.

Hawk Moth stands behind me, his eyes hooded and menacing. I throw a desperate look at Cat Noir, convinced he will move to attack him at any moment, but he doesn't even flinch, his gaze fixed on me.

"Who are you, Ladybug?" More than one voice joins him this time.

Luka, Alya, Nino, Chloe, Sabrina, everyone.

"Who are you, Ladybug?" They chorus, it's almost deafening, "Who are you, Ladybug?"

Who are you, Ladybug?

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading :) My sister wrote this prologue a while ago and I really want her to continue the story, so I published it for her, hoping to show her some inspiring reviews when she comes home from uni next weekend. So, if you think you'd like to read more, please take a moment to share what you liked, what you'd like to see in future chapters, and even what you think could be improved!**


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